John A. Logan

John Alexander Logan (9 February 1826-26 December 1886) was the US Senator from Illinois (R) from 4 March 1871 to 3 March 1877, succeeding Richard Yates and preceding David Davis, and again from 4 March 1879 to 26 December 1886, succeeding Richard J. Oglesby and preceding Charles B. Farwell. Logan also served as a US Army Major-General during the American Civil War.

Biography
John Alexander Logan was born in Murphysboro, Illinois in 1826, and he served in the 1st Illinois Volunteers regiment of the US Army during the Mexican-American War. He graduated from the University of Louisville in 1851 to become a lawyer, and he served in the State House of Representatives from 1853 to 1857, and he became a pro-Stephen A. Douglas Democratic Party member. From 1859 to 1862, he served in the US House of Representatives from Illinois' 9th district, succeeding Samuel S. Marshall and preceding William J. Allen. In 1862, he became a colonel of the US Army during the American Civil War; he later became a Brigadier-General, fighting at Corinth. In 1863, he took command of a division in James B. McPherson's XVII Corps during the Siege of Vicksburg, and he took over the Army of the Tennessee after McPherson was killed at the Battle of Atlanta. Logan led the army during the 1864 March to the Sea, and he ended the war in North Carolina. He returned to politics after the war, switching his allegiance to the liberal Republican Party. He also served as commander of the "Grand Army of the Republic" veteran' organizations, and he pushed for the implementation of Memorial Day as an official holiday. In 1884, he was James G. Blaine's vice-presidential candidate on the Republican ticket, but he was defeated by Grover Cleveland. Today, h e is currently featured in several statues and Illinois' fake anthem.